Ignition-coil lock



Oct. 15, 1929. H. G. WEBSTER l IGNITION coIL Loox Filed Sept. 4, 1923 l.. l? 1 l. l.. l..

Patented y ocr. 15,1929 1,731,993

HARRY G. WEBSTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS IGNITION-COIL LOCK r Application led September 4, 1923. Serial N'o. 660,752.

My invention relates to ignition locks, to the conventional spark coils used in autoand especially to locks for the ignition eir- .mobile ignition, the core 15 being formed of cuits of automobile engines for preventing a multiplicity of soft iron wires encased in their unauthorized running. an insulating tube 16 around which are The primary object of my invention is the wound the primary windings 17 and the sec- 50 provision of a theft-proof unit comprising ondary windings 18, the outer periphery of the usual inductance coils of an ignition systhe structure being covered with an insutem integrally related with a lock-controlled lating sleeve 19. The coil structure is promeans for disabling the circuit of the coils. vided withv heads 2O and 21 at its respec- The unit is preferably mounted beneath the tive ends. The head 21 is glued or otherwise 55 Y cowl of the automobile and supported from secured to the adjacent end of the insulating the instrument board so that a portion of the tube 16, and lies yimmediately against the device extends through the instrument end plate 12. The opposite head 2O is siniboard, whereby the key for the lock may be ilarly secured to the insulating tube 16, but conveniently inserted by the driver. The is so moulded that a flanged metal plate 22 is 60 internal arrangement of the unit may be deintegral therewith. Anchorage of the insigned for any desired manner of rendering sulating head with the plate 22 is efthe coils linoperative--by short-circuiting fected by dovetail bosses 23 and 24 integral one or both of the coils, by open-circuiting withthehead20. By means of headless screws 20 one or both of the coils, or otherwise. 25-25 extending through the shell 10 and Other objects, features and advantages of into the flange of the plate 22, the latter is the invention, relating for the most part securely positioned within the Shell, more specifically to the construction, ar- It will be noted that the wires of the core rangement and assembly of the device, can 15 at their respective ends abut the plates 22 25 best be understood from the following leand 12 so that, if desired, the flanged plate 70 scription and claims, and from the :accom` 22 may be inade of soft iron to complete the panying drawings, wherein a magnetic circuit through the core, the flanged Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section plate 22, the shell 10, and the end plate 12, of the coil unit of my invention; back to the core 15. I contemplate, however,

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on that, if a closed magnetic circuit is not de- 75 the line 2 2 of Figure 1; sired, the shell 10 as well as the plates 12 and Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the device 22 may be moulded from an insulating com* of Figure 1 as embodied in an automobile position or formed of other non-inagnetic ignition system, and material.

Figure d is a modication of the circuit Terminal wires 26. 28 and 27 iead from the 80' of Figure 3. outer convolutions of the secondary circuit, The coil lock unit of my invention coinand from the inner and outer ends of the prises a cylindrical shell 10, preferably of primary circuit, respectively. These wires soft iron, one end 11 of which is provided with pass through apertures in the head 21 and an integral closure, while the other end of outwardly through the end plate 12 through e5 the casing is closed by an end plate 12, also suitable insulating bushings 29. the oppreferably of soft iron. lNithin the shell 10 posite end of the coil structure the inner end is mounted a coil structure 13 and a lock of the secondary winding is brought out mechanism 14. through the preif'iously mentioned boss 23, The coil structure 13 is, in general, similar the end 3G orf the winding being soldered at e 31 to the flanged plate 22. This forms a ground for the inner end of the secondary winding as the shell 10, and, consequently, the plate 22 is grounded by means of a ground Wire 32, which ent-ers the bottom of the shell beneath the lock 14 and is secured to the shell by a rivet 33.

In the circuit diagram of Figure 3, I have shown the device of Figure 1 as it is included in the circuit of the usual automobile ignition system. The primary coil 17 leads from the grounded storage battery 34 through the conventional ignition switch 35 and to the stationary contact 36 of a siX cam interrupter 37, the movable arm 38 of which is grounded. As previously stated, one end of the secondary coil 18 is grounded by the wire 32, while the other end is connected by the wire 26 through a distributor 39 to the several spark plugs 40 of a six cylinder motor.

In `the disclosure offFigures -1 to 3 inclusive, the coils are rendered inoperative by shortcircuiting the secondary winding, this shortcircuitingbeing controlled by the lock 14. This is accomplished by leading out from the last or an intermediate convolution of the secondary Winding 18 a loop or pair of ends 41 which are soldered or otherwise electrically secured to a metal contact piece 42 moulded into the insulating material of the boss 24 on the coil head 20. This contact piece 42 is provided with a raised head which is adapted to be engaged by the arm 43 of the lock 14. The arm 43, as shown in Figure 2, is split to provide a spring contact of the arm against the contact piece 42. The lock 14 is of the usual Yale cylinder type, the arm 43 being secured to the tumbler plug 44. The inner end of the stationary cylinder 45 of the lock is provided with peripheral threads 46 by means of which the lock may be screwed into a supporting sleeve 47 The supporting sleeve 47 is preferably made separately from the shell 10, being secured thereto by screws 48 passing through an annular flange on the sleeve 47. After the lock has been assembled, unscrewing of the cylinder member 45 is prevented by a screw 49 or pin inserted in the threads 46.

Vhen the tumbler plug 44 is turned to the locked position of Figure 1, the arm 43 closes an electrical circuit from the loop 41 on the outer layer of the secondary winding, through the lock 14, the shell 10, the end plate 22, and the inner terminal 30 of the secondary to short-circuit the secondary 18. While it is more desirable in this form to short-circuit the grounded terminal of the secondary to a point intermediate the ends of the secondary, as shown in full lines in Figure 3, I

also contemplate that the short-circuitingl may be made between the terminals of the secondary, as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 3.

A plurality of rivets 33 secure to the closed end 11 of the shell 10 a disc 50, the center of which is apertured to receive the flange 51 of the lock, the plate 50 being Secured by screws 52 to the instrument board 53 of the automobile. It will also be seen that the entire unit is supported from the instrument board by means of this disc.

When the tumbler plug 44 is turned to its locked position where the arm 43 will shortcircuit the secondary, the spark coil is disabled. and unless the key 14 is again inserted and the plug turned, it is practically impossible to lmake the coil effective without removing it intact. As the plate 22 is integral with the coil, and is secured by the headless screws 25, it would be necessary to drill out the screws-an operation which would take an automobile thief too long although a mechanic with ample time and equipment may make repairs without ruining.

the device.

While I have illustrated the disabling of the coil circuits in the manner sho'wn in Figures 1 to 3, that is, by short-circuiting the secondary, I also contemplate, as previously sta-ted in the introduction, that this disabling may be done by other methods. As a modiication of the arrangement thus far described, I have illustrated in Figure 4 a means for open-circuiting the primary 17. In this construction the plug 44 of the lock carries an insulated arm 43', the free end of the armvcarrying a metal plate 54 adapted to close the circult between contact members 55--55 at a mid portion of the primary 17 The advantage of this modification over the previously described arrangement is that the usual ignition switch 35 may. be dispensed with, since the coil lock of Figure 4 itself open-circuits the primary circuit.v

While I have shown but this particular construction, design and mounting device and but these two circuit arrangements therefor, I contemplate that many changesl may be made from this disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention.

Iclaim:

1. r1`he combination with the ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine, of a shell, a closure for each end of lsaid shell, a spark'coil mounted within said shell, a lock mechanism supported adjacent one of said end closures, a key for said lock insel-table through said last mentioned closure to operate said lock, said mechanism in its locked postion disabling the circuit of said coil, a supporting panel, means at that end of said shell adjacent said last mentioned closure to support said shell from said panel and at the back thereof, and an opening in said panel, said last mentioned closure being disposed in registry with said opening whereby said key may be inserted from the front of said panel.

2. The combination cfa tubular shell of of said sleeve,

the other magnetic material, a closure at one end of said shell, also of magnetic material, a plate of magnetic material secured within and magnetically connected to said shell at a spaced distance from said closure, a spark coill disposed within said shell and confined between said closure and said plate, a magnetic core for said coil, the ends of said core beingmagnetically connected with said closure and said plate respectively whereby a closed magnetic circuit is made from said core through said plate, said shell and said closure to'said core,

a lock mechanism mounted in said shell near its opposite end, a contact member connected to said coil and carried by said plate, a movable element `on said lock mechanism for controlling electrical contact with said member, said element, when the lock mechanism is in its locked position, co-operating with said member to disable said coil.

3. In combination,` a metal protecting sleeve having an inwardly turned flange at one end, a metallic head closing the other end means for substantially permanently securing said head in said sleeve, an ignition coil housed in saidsleeve with its axis extending longitudinally thereof, a lock mechanism housed in said sleeve with its axis extending longitudinally offsaid sleeve, and contact mechanism in slaid sleeve controlled by said lock mechanism for rendering the said coil inoperative.

4. In anti-theft ignition apparatus, the combination of a tubular metal housing, an inwardly extending tiange at one end of said housing, a metallic' head at the other end of said housing, an ignition coil in said housing having its axis extending V longitudinally thereof, lock mechanism in said housing having its axis extending longitudinally thereof, and contact mechanism in said housingbetween said lock mechanism and the end of said coil, said contact mechanism being op erated by said lock mechanism for disabling said coil.

5. In ignition apparai's of the class described, the combination of a tubular protecting housing constructed of metal, metallic end walls for the ends of said housing, a cyl: indrical coil in said housing having its axis extending longitudinally thereof, a supporting sleeve, screw means operable from the interior ot said housing-ttor securing said supporting sleeve to one ot' said end walls, a lock barrel secured in said supporting sleeve` said lock barrel comprising a. rotatable elcment, and contact mechanism actuated by said rotatable elementfor disabling said coil.

5. In combination. a cylindrical metallic protecting sleeve having an inwardly turned iiange at its front end, a metallic disc closing end of said sleeve, and means for iixedly securing said disc in said sleeve, a partition insaid sleeve intermediate its ends, a substantially cylindrical coil mounted in said sleeve between said partition and said metallic head,'said inwardly turned flange having an opening therein, a supporting sleeve extending into said main protecting sleeve in alignment with said opening, screws for securing said supporting sleeve to said inwardly turned ange, said screws being removable only from the interior of said protecting sleeve, a lock barrel mounted in said supporting sleeve and comprising a rotatable element, a tiange on said lock barrel overlying the margin of said opening, a mounting plate secured to said inwardly turned flange for mounting said device on the m` strument board, a contact mounted on said partition, and a contacting member carried by the rotatable element of said lock for engagin said contact.

7. n ignition lock comprising a supporting and enclosing shell and a pair of separately assembled units, the first of said units including a supporting member, a coil carried by said supporting member, and a part of a switch mechanism carried by said supporting member and electrically connected to said coil, and the second of said units comprising a lock mechanism, and a second part of said switch mechanism-said pair of units being carried by said shell in position to bring said switch parts into operative relation with each other, to control the energizatin of said v coil. l

8. In an ignition lock, the combination of metal enclosing shell', with a coil unit comprising a supporting member, forming a partition in said shell, a coil carried by said supporting member, a switch contact carried by said supporting member and connected to said coil, and a separate lock unit, comprising a key controlled mechanism, and a switch mechanism adapted to cooperate with said contact to control the energization of said coil, said coil unit and lock unit being adapted to be separately assembled with said shell to locate said Contact and switch mechanism in operative relation.

9. An ignition loclr comprising a supporting casing, a unitary coil member, carried by said casing and comprising a supporting memberl` a switch contact carried by said supporting member, a coil carried by said supporting member, eiectrical connections from said coil to said switch contact, and a unitary lock member, carried by said casing and ccmprising a hey actuated tumbler barrel, a switch part carried by said lock unit for cooperation with said contact, and means `for securing said unitary lock and coil members in assembled relation with said casing to locate said contact and switch part in operative relation,

i0. In an ignition loclr, the combination of a metal enclosing shell, with a coil unit ccmprising'l a supporting member, forming a partition in said shell. a coil carried by' said supporting member, a switch contact carried by said supporting member and connected to said coil, and a se arate lock unit, comprising a key actuate mechanism, and a switch mechanism adapted to cooperate with said Contact to control the energization of said coil, said coil unit and lock unit being' adapted to be separately assembled with said Shell to locate said contact and switch mechanism in operative relation, and said shell having an integrally anged end for enclosing and supporting said lock mechanism.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of Se tember, 1923.

i HARRY WEBSTER. 

